Cryptocoryne loeiensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cryptocoryne loeiensis faces severe threats from dam construction and water management projects along the Loei River system in Thailand, which alter natural water flow patterns essential for this aquatic plant's survival. Agricultural runoff and urban development in the watershed have degraded water quality through increased sedimentation and chemical pollution. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, with habitat modification for rice cultivation and infrastructure development fragmenting remaining suitable areas.
Habitat
This aquatic plant is endemic to specific sections of the Loei River and its tributaries in northeastern Thailand, where it grows submerged in shallow, slow-flowing freshwater with sandy or rocky substrates. It requires clear water conditions with stable flow patterns and is adapted to the seasonal flooding cycles characteristic of the Mekong River basin tributaries.
